Following the 2021 release of its limited-edition Swiss Alp watch with a Vantablack dial, H. Moser & Cie is taking the darkest material known to man to new limits with its “Blacker Than Black” Streamliner Chronograph made almost entirely from Vantablack. The substance, which was developed in the United Kingdom back in 2014, absorbs 99.965% of light, rather than reflecting the light that hits it. This creates a highly unique visual experience that, when made into watch-form, would simply look like a void of existence from all angles on your wrist.
At Watches and Wonders 2022 in Geneva, the Swiss watchmaker had on display its latest timepiece, a literally blacked-out version of its Streamliner Flyback Chronograph, where only the hands are visible when the watch is mounted against a Vantablack backdrop. However, since Vantablack is highly delicate to the touch and breaks down upon contact, the new Streamliner cannot be made for production just yet and remains a concept until H. Moser & Cie can find a way for it to be more resilient — a feat on which the brand is currently working and will no doubt achieve.
Also unveiled at the expo by H. Moser & Cie was the Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon, the brand’s first skeleton watch. The visually interesting piece’s main hour-and-minute function is presented as a domed sub-dial at the 12 o’clock position in the brand’s signature Funky Blue fumé, with glowing Globolight inserts on the hands and indices. At the 6 o’clock position, a one-minute flying tourbillon with a cylindrical hairspring is also made visible in the open-worked HMC 811 caliber movement. Unlike many tourbillon’s, Moser’s is actually suitable for normal wear, with robust nighttime visibility thanks to the aforementioned Globolight lume and an impressive 120m water resistance.
It remains to be seen if H. Moser & Cie will eventually release the Vantablack Streamliner to be worn on human wrists. However, the Swiss brand always finds inventive and unique ways to push the limits and allow the impossible to come to fruition. As for the Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon, it will be available from Moser for $86,900 and can be reserved on the brand’s website.
